EAST PROVIDENCE — The pessimist in us is waiting for the other shoe to drop, but the optimist says let the good times roll.
The East Providence City Council conducted yet another cheery meeting Wednesday night, March 11, a special session called due to last week’s inclement weather.
Barely a negative word was said during the roughly 90 minute gathering. The Council started the session by effusively recognizing the championship winning Martin Middle School wrestling team for its recent success on the mat. In addition, the community outreach efforts of city residents Carl Sweeney (“Hope and Faith”) and Mike Solitro (“OpportunityKnocks”) were saluted as was that of the East Providence High School girls’ basketball team for its annual breast cancer awareness “Pink Zone” game. Mr. Solitro, a teacher at Riverside Middle School, is also the EPHS girls’ hoops coach.
As to the substance of the meeting, the Council approved a request by Planning Director Jeanne Boyle to have a portion of the city be reauthorized by the state as an enterprise zone.
Ms. Boyle told the Council roughly 50 percent of East Providence, basically the entire western half of the city, is designated as an enterprise zone. It allows for existing and new businesses to qualify for tax incentives if they hire full-time personnel.
“It’s not quite as robust as it once was,” Ms. Boyle said, noting the tax credit has been reduced from $5,000 to $2,500 for every 40-hour worker a business hires. “But it is still beneficial and it assists us in drawing new businesses into the city and enticing existing businesses to expand.”
The Council, upon the request of Acting City Manager Paul Lemont, also approved the use of $15,000 in funds to help rehabilitate the basketball courts at Pierce Field through a partnership with John Carnevale’s “d’Amour Step” non-profit group.
Mr. Carnevale, who spurred the renovations of gyms at EPHS and the two middle schools, plans to raise an additional $15,000 for the total $30,000 project at Pierce. Working with city department heads Rob Walker and Ed Catelli, Mr. Carnevale’s group plans to reseal the basketball and tennis courts, erect new baskets, repair and replace fencing and upgrade rest room facilities.
“As you all know John did a great job at the high school and now he’s concentrating on the playground at Pierce,” Mr. Lemont said.
Mr. Carnevale is eyeing an April start to the project with the hope of having it ready for use by some time in late spring/early summer. He said the last time any significant work was done to the Pierce courts came back in 1991.
Calling long-time Pierce Field superintendent Joe Medeiros “one of our (city’s) heroes,” Mr. Carnevale said he was drawn to Pierce to again help revitalize a noted element of East Providence that had fallen into disrepair due mainly to lack of funding.
“We’re looking to add some color, bring in some energy and some motivation to that great recreational facility and to help (Mr. Medeiros) and his workers,” Mr. Carnevale said of the project.
On a similar topic, the Council approved the pre qualifications of six contractors seeking to make improvements to the Central Avenue and Silver Spring School playgrounds.
Mr. Lemont told the Council the contractors responded to a Request for Qualifications late last year. The qualification statements were reviewed by the Planning Department, Director of Public Works and the City Engineer. All of the firms meet the minimum qualifications stated.
The contractors include Central Nurseries, Inc., Catalano Construction, Inc., Narragansett Improvement Company, Kompan Playgrounds, UltiPlay Parks and Playgrounds, Inc. and Rock Solid Construction.
The Council also approved one appointment, Antero Braga, of 527 Forbes St., to the Housing Authority. A sitting member, Mr. Braga’s name was submitted for reappointment by Council President and Mayor Tommy Rose.
One last note of interest, the Council agreed to table until its April 7 meeting a proposed zoning revision request from VSH Realty, Inc. and Cumberland Farms, Inc. The businesses are seeking to expand the existing footprint of the Cumberland Farms location at the intersection of Wampanoag Trail and Pawtucket Avenue.
